The family of Jayland Walker, the Black man who was shot to death by police officers in Akron, Ohio back in 2022, will receive a staggering settlement from the city after a grand jury refused to indict the cops involved last year. The mayor’s office confirmed the agreement on Monday.
Walker’s family is set to receive $4.8 million, and the city will continue to discuss with them how police procedures are done. NPR reported that though the vehicle pursuit policy has been changed so officers can’t chase vehicles for only equipment violations, wider community talks are set to be had.
On June 27, 2022, Walker was shot 46 times during a traffic stop. The state investigation that followed said that officers stopped Walker and after seeing him driving with a broken taillight as well as a broken light on his rear license plate.
Police said that Walker refused to stop and then fired a shot at them from his car before running away. The investigation also found that Walker, who was just 25 at the time of his death, jumped out of his car that was still moving before ignoring commands from police to stop and show his hands.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost claimed that Walker reached toward his waistband and raised a hand, so the officers chasing him were under the impression that he was going to fire again.
Walker’s death resulted in tumultuous protests in the city. The eight officers who fired at the deceased were placed on leave. However, they were later assigned to desk duty before returning to active duty.
The family’s lawyers said they would share more information about the settlement once the court process is officially over. “There’s more to the settlement than money,” said attorney Bobby DiCello.
DiCello also praised the Walker family’s ability to accomplish meaningful change with its litigation efforts.